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In 2012, two years after the Easy Rider actor died, the trustees registered "Hopper" as a trademark for a class of goods that included sunglasses, motorcycle helmets and all sorts of electronic devices. On Jan. 31, the Trademark Office put out a notice of publication on the mark.

This week, Dish Network objected to the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

You have to love the subheadline: The satellite TV giant warns of consumer confusion between the ad-skipping DVR and a dead celebrity.

"In a hundred years there'll be a whole new set of people."
"Always poke the bears. They sleep too much for their own good."

I think the problem here is... Dish almost has to challenge this, for IF they do not... they run the risk of the Hopper estate realizing it and challenging their use of the name.

Dish just recently backed off the "TV Anywhere" trademark for similar reasons... Dish may or may not have any trademark interests on "Hopper" but they surely don't want someone else to have that trademark.

And a very nice one, too! The estate was bequeathed by his wife, who died within a year of his death. She was also a painter, but the Whitney got rid of most of her artwork, and doesn't exhibit the rest.

There's also a Hopper House (®??) in Nyack, NY, to which you can make donations, or go see his house there.